


The Dream: A TLJ Divergence

by Journeying_Jane



Series: The Ocean and The Island: A Sequel Trilogy Divergence [3]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Ben Solo Gets a Hug, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Canon Divergence, Emotional Baggage, F/M, Force Bond (Star Wars), Force Dyad (Star Wars), Kylo Ren Needs a Hug, POV Rey (Star Wars), kylo ren gets a hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:48:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26041438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Journeying_Jane/pseuds/Journeying_Jane
Summary: Part 3 of "The Ocean".Surrounded by people in a way she has never been before and with no sign of Ben since their strange connection ended abruptly, Rey has been left confused, emotionally overwhelmed, and sleep-deprived. So where does the former scavenger escape to when she's struggling to sleep? The Dream of course and the future family that awaits her there.OR Back on her dream island for the first time since leaving Jakku, Rey encounters a new addition. Is it really HIM or a haunting remnant of the interrogation? Rey's POV Oneshot. (Continuation of Warmth)
Relationships: Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Series: The Ocean and The Island: A Sequel Trilogy Divergence [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1705900
Comments: 6
Kudos: 15





	The Dream: A TLJ Divergence

**Author's Note:**

> Unedited
> 
> Quick recap on changes that have happened so far. 
> 
> ✧Kylo lets Rey go after discovering her vision of their future in the interrogation room. Because of this, he does not kill Han, Finn does not get injured, and Rey does not receive the lightsaber on Illum. Obviously, they do not do battle.
> 
> ✧After arriving at the Resistance base Rey and Kylo have their first force Bond. He is on board the Supremecy and undergoing some "reconditioning" after what Snoke sees as his multiple failures on Illum. The connection is interrupted when he is called before Snoke once again.

The sheets tangled about Rey as she tossed and turned, trying to find sleep in the tiny, musty old bunk she’d claimed on board the Falcon. The rebel base was large, confusing, and entirely overwhelming so, since Han and Chewie hadn’t seemed to mind her presence, she’d retreated here rather than the crowded bunk room. But in the relative isolation of the ship, she couldn’t blame noise or crowds for her restlessness. And it wasn’t the size or hardness of the bed that kept her awake either, both were better than what she’d had on Jakku.

No, the past few days had been so confusing that her mind refused to power down. From her visions down in Maz’s basement, to the interrogation that had turned her world upside down, to this newly discovered ability and bond with a man that everyone around her considered to be the enemy.

Rey felt haunted by their last encounter. The twists and turns of her emotions had been as fast and unpredictable as her daring escape from Jakku. Too fast to even acknowledge them in the moment, and since then she’d been processing them. Her excitement and joy in thinking he had come to her—had left the order—had soon been replaced by sharp disappointment, confusion, attraction, hope, and then finally fear.

Fear of his intentions, fear for whoever had been in the room with him, fear of not being able to stop him. She tried to tell herself that he had been Kylo in that moment but she knew better than anyone how flimsy and insubstantial that facade was. There was only one man under that mask. One extremely complex and wounded man.

Her stomach rolled with uncertainty and guilt but trying to untangle the origin of these emotions was proving impossible. Especially as she had not felt a single thing from him since that inexplicable connection ended.

Hours she had struggled with these thoughts growing more and more fatigued. So, it was almost unconsciously that her exhausted mind slipped into the calming ocean it hadn’t needed to retreat to since leaving Jakku.

Waves lapped over her consciousness, drawing deeper with each swell. The smell of the tangy air tickled her nose and the spray of the ocean showered her skin. Rey opened her eyes to find the sun shining on a radiant blue sea and toes buried in damp pale sand.

Carefree laughter broke the serenity of the scene as the familiar group appeared from behind the dunes. Instinctively Rey started to make her way toward them. She needed to see, to confirm that it hadn’t been a mistake. She needed proof—outside of that cold sterile room—that it was true, he hadn’t tricked her or. . .or. . .

Yet, there they were. She had seen her reflection now; in the tiny refresher mirror. It was undeniably her. Him. _Them._

She came right up next to him as he picked up the little girl, laughing and tickling her as she giggled. She didn’t think she’d seen anything more wonderful, following them as they splashed until her mother called. No, not her mother. _Herself._

She flushed when Ben kissed her older self and soon—with all the sweet looks and tender touches between the whole family—felt tears welling up, wishing with all her heart she could be in this moment now. Rey scrubbed at her eyes as Ben leaned over to caress the swaddled infant’s cheek, immediately feeling a stab of concern shoot through her.

It was so unexpected that she jolted, almost losing her footing in the clumped sand as she whipped around to find the one responsible for the emotion. There at the end of the beach, about as far from them as he could be; stood a black smudge against the landscape. Her heart seized in her chest. He was wearing his mask.

Upon her notice he turned and began walking away; taking a path that passed over the dunes and up an incline, to a short overlook Rey knew well. She had ventured there many times when it was too painful to watch the little family’s joy. Sand flew around her as she charged after him. Was this simply a new addition to her dream or something more sinister? Had he _changed_ her dream? Left something behind when he had raked his mental fingers through it? Or could it be that he was really here?

The tall grass skirting the thin trail whipped against her legs once she got to it; the sand shifted under her feet, becoming the dry fine surface she was more used to. _He must be here_ , Rey thought—hoped. She had _felt_ him. But if he was, why walk away from her? And why wear his mask? The grass shortened and the sand turned to solid rock as she raced up the incline. Every part of her on edge.

He was waiting for her when she reached the top of the crest, whether wanting for her to come or just knowing she would. It brought her to an abrupt halt, hands falling to her knees as she panted from the exertion while he stood and watched from the edge of the cliff. One might have been forgiven for thinking he was a mere statue. She reached out for a moment trying to gauge him but felt nothing.

“What is this? How is the Force connecting us inside my dream?” Her words were gasping and breathless; he remained silent and Rey cursed that hateful mask for hiding his face, his eyes from her. “Or is this something else?” More silence. “Ben! Are you even really here, because I swear I. . .How long have you been here?” She switched tactics not really expecting an answer but she was desperate for anything. The only movement he made was to curl one gloved hand into a fist, the thumb rubbing the forefinger slowly but unceasingly.

“For most of it, I think.” The modulated voice broke the air and caused Rey’s stomach to recoil as her mind was plunged into the fear of Takodana and that sterile interrogation room again. With no little effort, she forced it away.

“Then why did you hide yourself from me?”

“What do you mean?” His casual denial combined with the distorted voice set off a spark in Rey, who had finally gotten her breathing back under control and stood upright.

“You know what I mean! You’re doing it now, I can’t feel you at all and- and for Kriff’s sake, take that awful helmet off!”

“Why?” The robotic voice was flat, disinterested. “What do you think you’ll see? That man down there?” Rey cringed at the harsh accusation; too close to the truth. “That man is a fantasy. This is who I am. After our last encounter, I thought you understood that.”

“That is not you. In fact, it’s the opposite.” Her fists and teeth were clenched and tears burned her eyes though she refused to let them fall. While it may be true that he was not (yet) the man she had been dreaming of her whole life, he was not a creature in a mask either. “That thing is a shield, a mask designed to hide who you really are, but I know Ben. I know!

“Do you?” The helmed head cocked to the side after a moment, “Tell me, how do you know this _isn’t_ just a part of your dream? Your subconscious telling you exactly what you don’t want to admit. That I’m a villain, a monster, a nightmare.” He stated this so plainly as if it was a fact he’d been told his life; just like ‘he was tall’ or ‘his hair was black’.

With fierce purpose, Rey marched right up to the man and threw her arms around his neck. Whatever he was doing to keep her out faltered again as she felt shock explode from him and into her. It was to be expected, she’d surprised even herself. She who had barely had any physical contact in her whole life, was clinging to this wraith-like man with all her might; her cheek pressing against the cold durasteel helmet. She closed her eyes tightly to picture the face that lay beneath.

“I do know you and you are not a monster.” Her voice was low, pleading for him to believe. After all, no real monster ever believed that was what they were. She leaned back, “You could never be my nightmare, Ben.” Tears streamed down her face as she looked up but she couldn’t be brought to care.

He needed to see the truth behind her tears. To understand that, just as she wasn’t keeping anything from him, he needed to be open with her. She raised her hand to the chrome detailed mask. “Please take it off Ben. I don’t know what you’re trying to prove but you don’t need it with me. Please.” Her hands moved to rest on his shoulders as he lifted his own arms and released the mechanism before slowly lifting the helmet off.

It fell with a thunk to the grass at their feet and Rey sunk into dark familiar eyes. Ones she knew could be heavenly warm but that now held chaos in their depths and revealed a soul so torn and tormented and rejected, it tried to hide itself completely. Brows furrowed, his eyes flicked back and forth between hers uncomprehending. His full lips parted,

“You’ve barely known me for a week. How can you think you understand me so well?”

“Because. . .” For a second Rey felt lost trying to verbalize what she felt. After all, wasn't this a part of what she’d been so struggling with herself? Her sudden connection to this man, who by all logic should be a stranger, an enemy even. “I-I don’t understand it, but even outside of my dream it’s like you’ve always been there. . .” Her forehead lowered to press against his broad chest. “. . .a part of me.” She took a deep breath. “I know you like I know my own soul, Ben.” His hands came up to grasp her upper arms tightly, almost reflexively; his entire body was stiff against her.

“You were afraid of me.” His voice was tight, controlled. Pained.

“I was afraid of what you might do, yes; but not of you.”

“I don’t know if I understand the difference.”

“Hmm.” Nodding her head against him she reflected that she didn’t really know if she understood either, but it was still true. “If I was afraid of _you_ do you think I'd be standing here now?”

“No.” He answered after a long silence. His arms and hands relaxed slowly—as did his apparent mental shield—making their way around her until he had her wrapped in his embrace. Every bit of his pain and fear and relief was open to Rey as her own arms made their way around his torso, squeezing tightly yet barely meeting in the back. Was this truly his size or did the layers of armor and clothing make him so large? She felt petite, fragile, encompassed by him. Not words she would normally ascribe to herself but she couldn’t bring herself to care, not when he had opened up to her; not when this felt more like home than anything she’d ever known.

“Please don’t shut yourself off from me Ben. Don’t cut me out. I-I’m surrounded by people for the first time in my life but I still feel alone.” The words came out as a soft sob, despite her best efforts. 

She felt pressure on the crown of her head and felt warm puffs of air stirring the few strands too short to fit into her top bun. “You’re not alone Rey.”

And there on the clifftop overlooking what she hoped would be their future—hair growing suspiciously damp—she believed him. “Neither are you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so I was agonizing over this for WAY too long. Mostly about the timeline and what would be happening in the story around them during and after this encounter. And I'm sorry to those that liked it, but the lightspeed tracking, slow-mo space chase (and every subplot around it) was one of my major issues with TLJ. Not the concept itself, but how the basic storyline made no sense with the timeline of Rey on Ahch-To and the Force Bonds, and anyway I'll stop there. Basically, after trying to figure out how on earth to get it all to fit timewise and still accomplish what I want, I just decided to screw it and throw it out for now. I think I'd like to use the technology for conflict later, but right now it just doesn't fit.
> 
> Anyway, doing that suddenly has freed up my imagination and gotten the creative juices flowing once again so, though I have other stories I am committed to finishing, hopefully it won't be months before the next one shot! 🤞


End file.
